Elei
by jedi kate
Summary: A visit home, ties pondered. A JA universe short story.


Category: Short story  
Rating: PG-13  
Timeline: pre-Episode One, Obi-Wan is fifteen.  
Archive: Anywhere  
Disclaimer: These characters are the creation & property of  
Lucasfilm.  
Summary: A visit home, ties pondered.

**ELEI -- by [Jedikate][1]**

I.

"So tell me again padawan, why is it you don't enjoy being back  
on your home planet?"

Obi-Wan sighed as he and Qui-Gon made their way through the tall  
blue grasses of Lower Cythra. An after dinner walk, one Obi-  
Wan's grandmother recommended as a cure for the 'stuffed'  
feeling both of them complained of after eating a huge shuffa  
roast dinner, complete with a full complement of vegetables and  
grains, not to mention dessert.

It was Obi-Wan's yearly visit back to his native world, a visit  
Qui-Gon had insisted on, even after Obi-Wan's long series of  
urgent protests in regard to schoolwork and drills, not a single  
one of them swaying the Jedi Master in the slighest.

But now, after the dinner was finished and the sun was setting  
on Western Cythra's horizon it was obvious that Qui-Gon was  
curious as to "real" reason why Obi-Wan tried so hard to wriggle  
out of his annual obligation.

Unfortunately, even Obi-Wan wasn't sure why. 

"I _do_ like it here," Obi-Wan protested lightly, the grass  
curling beneath his cloak. "It's just that the Temple has been  
my home for so long. And since my parents died ... " He  
paused, then shrugged. "I love seeing Nan, especially since it  
pleases her so much to see me. But I feel more at home on  
Coruscant, that's all."

"But this is the place you were born."

"And taken away from when I was five," Obi-Wan responded  
lightly, absentmindedly tugging at an overhanging hedrga bush.  
"How can I be tied to a world I barely remember?"

Qui-Gon didn't looked quite convinced. "I think you have more  
of a connection here than you realize, padawan. Our home is in  
our blood, we can't shake it, not unless we deny ourselves."

"Maybe," Obi-Wan admitted, before squinting off into the  
distance, shading his eyes against the late afternoon glare.  
"Say, I think I know that homestead," he said, pointing at a  
small hovel, a few hundred meters to the north. "I remember it  
from when I was very small. May we take a look?"

"Of course." Qui-Gon smiled and they strolled companionably  
toward the 'stead, its disrepair immediately obvious, even from  
a distance. The grass sprouted wildly in all directions,  
reaching, in some places, up to Qui-Gon's thigh and together,  
they ambled over fallen brush, most of it rotting and dried.

"This doesn't look good," Obi-Wan murmured, sidestepping a  
toppled tree. "But I remember these neighbors now. They were  
old even back in my childhood. And they had no children that we  
knew of."

"It's possible they've passed into the Force." Qui-Gon  
carefully pushed a broken fence aside and glanced around the  
front yard. "But recently, I think. There's still a bit of  
livestock here," he said, pointing to a pair of scrawny-looking  
tawrnhens pecking among the pebbles for insects. 

"Yes," Obi-Wan agreed, his brow furrowing. "I think we should  
check over the property to make sure there aren't any larger  
animals around. It would be cruel to leave them here to starve  
to death. I know that Nan's little barn has some room in it and  
it pleases her to tend to her 'herd.'" 

Qui-Gon silently agreed and the barn door squeaked loudly upon  
opening as Obi-Wan squinted through the hazy, dust-filled light.  
There were few signs of habitation, except for a few water  
buckets, an empty feedbag ... and a muddy looking lump.

Obi-Wan made a small noise of surprise when the lump stirred,  
then looked up at him with two dull brown eyes, its short snout  
drooping over dry lips. The creature took a wheezing breath,  
struggled for a moment to rise but its hind legs quickly gave  
out and its meter long body flopped back onto the hard dirt floor  
with a _thud_.

Obi-Wan knelt beside the sick animal, his expression stricken.  
"Elei," he whispered. "Oh, Elei ... what's happened to you?"

"Do you know this creature, padawan?" Qui-Gon asked, kneeling  
beside them.

"Yes, he's a monuth and his name is Elei," Obi-Wan said as he  
pulled off his cloak and gently draped it over the beast. "He  
was my pet since birth. I remember him more than I remember  
almost anything else about this place." He ran a gentle hand  
over the creature's brow and spoke soothingly in his native  
tongue. "Poor Elei. Elei talos dari, ton. Ton daru Elei." 

The monuth whinnied with what could have been surprise. He  
nuzzled Obi-Wan's hand before closing his eyes, his drooping  
ears flat against his skull.

"He looks a bit under the weather. Perhaps he's had trouble  
finding food or water when his caretakers left him behind," said  
Qui-Gon. "Either way, I don't think he's been thriving here."

Obi-Wan nodded gravely. "Do you think we could possibly bring  
him back with us? He's not quite as heavy as he looks, I can  
carry him, and I know that Nan ..."

"I'll take the first kilometer, you can get the rest," replied  
Qui-Gon, bending and carefully hoisting the monuth into his  
arms. 

"Thank you, Master." Obi-Wan replied gratefully. "I appreciate  
it."

They hiked back to the Kenobi 'stead, trading the beast between  
them as they walked. Reaching his grandmother's barn, Obi-Wan  
nudged the wooden door open and gently lowered Elei onto a soft  
pile of feed grass.

He gathered a bowl of water and sat next to the monuth,  
washcloth in hand. "They're very smart creatures, Master."  
Obi-Wan sponged a bit of mud from the animal's flanks. "As  
smart as Banthas, which are a great dealer larger."

"I'm not sure that a Bantha is all that smart, but I'll take  
your word for it." Qui-Gon settled onto a small barn stool.  
"He certainly makes a pretty pet. Do you remember getting him?"

Obi-Wan shook his head thoughtfully. "Not really. I remember  
him being very small and wiggling in my hands, making these  
little noises." He smiled brightly and softed a dry patch  
behind the monuth's ears. "I loved him so much. Every night  
I'd let him into my quarters and onto my pallet much to my  
mother's horror. Oh, how she would yell everytime she'd see his  
snout or tail hanging out from beneath the bed linens."

"Why?" asked Qui-Gon curiously. "He seems tame."

"Master," Obi-Wan chided. "An animal in the _bed_? That's not  
the proper place for them. Animals have to stay outside where  
they belong, why, letting them in the house is bad enough. But  
I was only two or three years old then, so I didn't get punished  
very badly for it."

"Oh, I see. Animals should always stay outside where they  
belong." Qui-Gon folded his arms across his chest. "Therefore  
little Elei should have been in the cold with all the other  
'pathetic life forms' eh, padawan?"

Obi-Wan flushed straight to the roots of his fair hair. "I  
didn't say Elei was pathetic, a house isn't where he belongs,  
that's all." He shrugged, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Master, but  
..."

"It's all right," Qui-Gon said, a tiny smile crossing his face.  
"I now see where you get this notion about our exalted place in  
the universe over the other living creatures. It's been bred  
into you, from birth practically, and I rather glad than  
otherwise. I'd hate to think you dreamt up such an idea on your  
own."

Obi-Wan sighed heavily, his cheeks still burning. "Anyway, I'm  
going bring the breedhealer back here tomorrow morning. Elei  
doesn't look good, I don't think he's eaten in days." 

Qui-Gon leaned closer and examined the dozing monuth. "I'd  
say it's closer to weeks, padawan," he said gently. "Maybe we  
can get some water into him at the very least."

"We could try that," said Obi-Wan doubtfully. He bent close and  
began to talk to the animal again, putting touches of Force into  
his words. Jedi couldn't control non-sentient animals, the  
thought patterns were too different, but sometimes they could  
influence sick or sleepy ones to do small natural tasks such as  
eat or drink. 

"Elei," he coaxed, holding water under the animal's snout. "Ton  
daru, mon Elei. Pur Elei, son blau, ton don. Preti, beun,  
swant Elei, du shon."

The monuth opened his eyes and soulfully gazed up at Obi-Wan.  
He nuzzled his master's knee before sinking back down, chin to  
the ground, ignoring the water completely. 

"Swes Elei," Obi-Wan repeated a bit more forcefully. "Swes ton  
don."

The animal whinnied weakly then took a few blind swipes at the  
bowl with his long pink tongue. A little water splashed, not  
much, and Obi-Wan lowered the bowl with a sigh. "It's better  
than nothing, I guess."

Qui-Gon nodded. "It will have to do," he said, rising from the  
stool. "Now, shall we join your grandmother? She's threatening  
to make sweet cakes for a late snack and if we get there early  
enough we might escape with just the tea."

"I ... I think I'll stay here a little while longer. If that's  
all right with you, Master," Obi-Wan added quickly. 

Qui-Gon nodded understandingly. "I'll let your grandmother know  
she has a new 'guest.'" He gathered up his long cloak. "And  
I'll save you some sweetcakes. I'm sure there'll be more than  
enough."

"Thank you." Obi-Wan smiled wanly and returned his attention to  
the monuth as Qui-Gon quietly closed the barn door behind him. 

Qui-Gon walked back to the 'stead, glancing back only once  
toward the barn where in the window a small lantern was lit and  
he could just make out the outlines of a small, sickly creature  
and the human being kneeling beside him, watching with care.

II.

Qui-Gon awoke as the sun rose, blinking through the bright  
morning light streaming into his guest room window. He  
stretched lazily and yawned before swinging his legs over the  
side of the pallet with a groan. Not like his padawan, who  
could leap out of bed like a gazla on fire, he thought wryly.

He squinted sleepily at the pallet across from his and his eye  
widened when he discovered it empty. How could that be, he  
wondered with a small twinge of unease. Obi-Wan was never one  
to give up a late morning's nap, not since he'd known him. 

Qui-Gon rose, quickly bound up his hair and pulled on a fresh  
tunic. The boots followed and he schooled his features into a  
serene expression as he went from the guest room to the main  
area, where Obi-Wan's grandmother, Nan, was already fussing  
through breakfast.

"Good morning, " she said with a bright look in her sky blue  
eyes. "I hope you're hungry, the hens were kind enough to lay  
two eggs each today."

"I'm very hungry," replied Qui-Gon with a polite nod of his  
head. "Amazing as that may sound, since I'm being fed better  
here than at most of the royal courts I've visited."

She beamed at him. "Oh, go on with you. I swear, the way you  
Jedi talk."

"However," Qui-Gon paused delicately. "I haven't seen Obi-Wan  
this morning. Has he come out for breakfast yet?" He shook his  
head quickly at Nan's suddenly worried expression. "No, no ...  
I'm sure he's still in the barn with Elei."

"Oh," replied Nan, wincing. "Oh, dear. You don't think ..."

Qui-Gon sighed. "I'll go check. Either way, I'm sure  
everything will be fine."

He squeezed her shoulder before heading out of the 'stead,  
toward the little barn. There was no sign of either Obi-Wan or  
Elei and he hesitated before slowly opening the door. 

At first the little monuth looked asleep, all clean and covered  
with Obi-Wan's warm brown cloak. Upon closer inspection though,  
it was obvious that the creature was no longer breathing, and  
Qui-Gon sighed heavily before turning to his padawan, who sat  
silently in the corner, staring at the dead animal, looking pale  
and numb. 

"Obi-Wan," began Qui-Gon sorrowfully. "I ..." 

Obi-Wan looked up at him through watery eyes. "I know, Master.  
There is no death, there is only the Force," he interrupted  
softly. "Although I can't understand why I feel this way for  
just an animal."

Qui-Gon slowly settled in next to him. "What way is that,  
padawan?" 

"With Elei gone, I feel as though part of me has passed away  
as well, a part I've not had the time or the foresight to  
appreciate." He bit his lip and angrily swiped away a stray  
tear that dared to slip down his cheek. "As though what's left  
of me has been set adrift and I'll never again be able to come  
home. Which is ludicrous, because the Temple is my ..." His  
voice trailed away and he shook his head, suddenly speechless.

"A building is not one's home, padawan," said Qui-Gon softly.  
"The people and our shared experiences with them are our home,  
our trust in them, the happiness we feel when we're together and  
should a man stay a thousand years on one world, if his family,  
his joy is somewhere else, then he's not home." 

"I know, but ... I ... ," he said shakily, his voice thick  
with grief. "I miss my parents," he blurted out with a sob.  
"I miss the home we had before the soldiers came and killed  
them. I miss my old playmates and the marketplace at dawn.  
I miss the snow and the river in the summer and I hate knowing  
that I'll never see any of these things again. And ... and  
they'll never see me either. No matter what I do, what I  
accomplish, it won't matter, because they're gone. Gone forever."

"I know," Qui-Gon murmured, drawing the weeping boy close against  
him. "It's hard to lose our childhood to just memories. But it's  
better to mourn than to forget, Obi-Wan."

"Remembering hurts," Obi-Wan said, his voice muffled against  
Qui-Gon's tunic. "That's why I hate coming back here."

"And yet, if you try and accept your losses and the grief that  
comes with them," said Qui-Gon, smoothing the spiky hair away  
from his padawan's brow. "You might find that coming here will  
no longer be as painful as before. In fact, coming here could  
become a joyful reminder of your family and you can begin to  
look forward to the time when you'll see them again." He hugged  
the boy hard. "You know you'll see them again, don't you,  
padawan?"

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan sniffled and gave Qui-Gon a blurry  
smile. "In the Force, we are all bound as one for eternity."  
He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and nodded his  
gratitude when Qui-Gon handed him a small, folded facecloth.  
"Of course, until then, I always have you."

"Have me, padawan?" Qui-Gon asked quizzically.

"Sure," Obi-Wan replied, rising and tucking the facecloth into a  
fold of his tunic. "Until then, I have you as my family."

To Qui-Gon's great surprise, he felt his cheeks redden. "I ...  
I thank you, padawan. I'm honored that you would think so."

"Well, you said your home is where your joy is." Reaching out,  
Obi-Wan helped Qui-Gon to his feet, then looked at him with  
solemn eyes. "And my joy is with you, Master."

Simply said, and so matter of fact was the boy's tone that Qui-  
Gon felt himself flush bright scarlet. "I think your Nan has  
breakfast waiting, padawan," he said, trying to hide his pleased  
embarrassment. "And later, if it pleases you, we'll give Elei a  
good sendoff. I'm sure he'll be waiting for you along with  
everyone else."

Obi-Wan grinned. "And next time, he gets to stay in the  
bed, no matter what."

"I'm sure he'll be glad to discover that," replied Qui-Gon, as  
together, Master and Padawan made their way back to the Kenobi  
'stead, the long blue grass of Cythra curling beneath their  
boots the sun rising brightly before them.

~~~~~~~~~~

end All comments and reviews welcome! :-) 

   [1]: mailto:Jedikate@aol.com



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